The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 40

As winter deepened, the demons’ movements became increasingly bold and frequent. Santia had to lead the Knights out of the castle walls and into the rugged mountains every day.

The forest path, deeply covered in snow, was harsh. Blizzards obscured the view, and the frigid air pierced the lungs. Santia sharply surveyed his surroundings from horseback. The knights were exhausted from the cold and fatigue, but no one complained. Even under the watchful eyes of the Royal Knights and Yurban’s pressure, Santia’s leadership remained unshaken.

This expedition was different because the Royal Investigation Squad knights were with them. At first, they hesitated to follow Santia’s orders, but they gradually acknowledged him in the face of his cold demeanor and firm judgment.

Santia quietly rode his horse at the front. When he raised his hand to signal a stop, everyone froze in tension. Strange movements and sounds were heard in the mountains. He slowly drew his sword.

“The terrain is rough, so don’t scatter. Demons can strike at any time.”

At his short, decisive command, the knights silently formed ranks. And before long, shadows began to appear between the trees, as if they had been waiting.

“Everyone, defensive formation!”

At Santia’s shout, the demons rushed in all at once. The forest instantly became a scene of carnage. Unlike before, the demons moved systematically, like a trained army. Santia didn’t miss that point.

‘This isn’t a simple raid. There’s an intention.’

He gritted his teeth and fought fiercely against the demons with the knights. The Royal Knights also desperately swung their swords and moved with Santia. Even in the blizzard, the sound of swords clashing, the demons’ screams, and the humans’ shouts were mixed together.

After a fierce battle, the demons retreated into the forest in an instant. Santia checked the Knights. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but some were injured. The Royal Investigation Squad knights, panting roughly, looked at him with tired faces.

Santia commanded in a low voice.

“That’s it for today. Take care of the injured and return to the castle.”

The way back was even more difficult. Fatigue and cold tormented the knights. Santia also ignored the fatigue accumulated in his body and led the way at the front. On the way back, he thought deeply about the demons’ strange movements.

‘Intention… intention… a higher being…’

The only being that came to his mind was one.

Devil.

As he recalled that name, a dark flame surged in his heart. He bit his lip and suppressed the flame.

Finally, when they returned to the castle, Prince Yurban was waiting in front of the gate. His face was mixed with anxiety and irritation.

“How long is this going to last?”

Santia suppressed his emotions and replied bluntly.

“As long as the demons don’t disappear, this situation will continue.”

Yurban frowned as if he didn’t like the answer and muttered.

“I don’t know if the kingdom’s knights need to sacrifice themselves this much. Haven’t you been enough so far?”

Santia glared at him coldly.

“If Your Highness wants to go out, I will open the door at any time, so go through the blizzard alone.”

Yurban’s face turned red as if he was dumbfounded, but he didn’t say anything more. The knights saw the scene and quietly bowed their heads and passed by. The Royal Knights no longer seemed to defend Yurban.

After treating the injured, Santia returned to his room alone. Yulania was waiting in front of his room. Her expression was tense and dark, unlike usual. Santia stopped when he saw her.

“…Are you hurt?”

Yulania asked cautiously. Santia hesitated for a moment and nodded.

“I’m fine.”

Yulania breathed a small sigh of relief. There was a moment of silence, and she spoke again.

“Be careful. It’s important that you come back safe.”

Santia’s heart momentarily tingled at her words, but he kept his expression stiff to hide his emotions.

“You’re the only one who worries about me.”

She smiled faintly and turned around. Santia quietly watched her back and went into his room. Sitting alone in the room, he sighed deeply. Her words were not easily erased from his mind.

‘It’s important to come back safe.’

Santia felt the weight of those words all over his body. Just as her relationship with her was becoming more and more complicated, the situation with the demons was also becoming more and more ominous. Now he was becoming more and more clear about what choices he had to make to protect Makari.

The heavy snow continued relentlessly. The mountain range surrounding the Duchy of Makari was covered with snow, completely blocking people’s access. The tension and fatigue inside the castle had reached their peak, now completely isolated from the outside world.

It had already been several days since Santia had set out to subjugate the demons. Every day, he led the knights from dawn to the rugged mountain range beyond the castle walls. As the time he spent in the castle decreased, Yulania’s worries only increased.

Yulania was confused by her own feelings. Her contractual marriage with him was clearly a political and rational choice. But the anxiety and worry she felt now were things that could not be explained rationally at all. She tried to ignore her feelings and watched Santia’s departure from the window, as she always did.

Then one afternoon, an urgent trumpet sounded from the castle walls.

Yulania felt her heart sink instinctively. When she went out into the hallway, she heard the sound of knights running urgently. She hurried across the hallway and down the stairs. When she got down the stairs, the knights were gathering noisily in the castle courtyard.

A knight quickly found her and ran over.

“Princess, the Duke was injured in battle. We need to see a doctor urgently!”

Yulania’s heart sank.

“How serious is it?”

The knight hesitated for a moment and opened his mouth with difficulty.

“He’s seriously injured. He lost consciousness on the way back to the castle.”

Yulania didn’t listen any further and quickly looked for Joel. Fortunately, he was in the castle today for her examination. Santia’s armor, entering through the castle gates, was stained with blood, and his pale face was as cold as ice. The moment he got off his horse, Yulania’s vision blurred.

“Santia…!”

Her voice was buried in the wind. Watching the knights carefully move him onto a stretcher, Yulania was frozen, unable to move. Her heart collapsed at the sight of Santia collapsing before her eyes.

Inside the castle, Santia’s face, lying on the bed, was still pale. Joel calmly treated the wound, but honestly said that his condition was not good. Yulania stayed by Santia’s side, watching his face and spending the night.

The atmosphere inside the castle was the worst. Yurban, upon hearing the news of Santia’s injury, only worried about his own safety and complained again. He came to Yulania and said in an annoyed tone.

“Now that even the Duke has fallen, there’s no reason to stay here any longer. We need to find a way to get out of the castle somehow.”

Yulania looked at her brother with cold eyes.

“Go if you’re prepared to throw your life away.”

Yurban bit his lip with a dissatisfied expression, but eventually couldn’t say anything more and turned away. Yulania’s heart grew further and further away from the royal family every time she saw his selfish appearance.

Yulania turned her gaze back to Santia. He was still in a deep sleep. She recalled his appearance as he fought the demons and threw his body to protect the castle. Yulania whispered quietly.

“…You said not to worry.”

Her heart ached every time she saw his wounded appearance. Yulania realized that she was falling deeper and deeper for him. But she was still afraid to admit that fact.

Support